Superheating apparatus.



No. 756,840. PATENTED APR. 12, 1904. W. S. ELLIOTT.

SUPERHEATING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION HLBD JUNI: 27, 1899. No 01m.. 2 SHEETS-ausm 1.

nvn'on v7 @ze No. 756,840. PATETED APR. 12, 1904. W. S. ELLIOTT.

SUPBRHEATING APPARATUS. APPLIoATloN FILED JUNE 27, 1899.

No MODEL. 2 ennnfrs-snnm' a.

/7\\ s MLM;

g A f9.2

1HE nomma Firms co, morourno.. wAsmwcYnN, u. c.

Patented April 12, 1904.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WLLIAM S. ELLIOTT, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

SUPERHEATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7 56,840, dated April 1,2, 1904. Application filed June 27, 1899. Serial No. 722,001. (No model.)`

To cir/ZZ whom it nfl/ay concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new and useful Improvement in Superheating Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a view in sideelevation, partly broken away, illustrating the application of my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section illustrating the working-steam and superlieating-steam boilers mounted in the same setting, showing the deiiecting-damper set to working position. Fig. 3 is a par-- tial similar view showing the damper raised. Fig. 4 illustrates my invention applied to multiple expansion or compound enginesl Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the superheating-chamber and part of the steamchest of an engine as indicated by the line V V of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View on the line Vl Vl of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the inner working-steam tubes and the surrounding superheating-steam pipe. Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view indicated by the line VIH VIII of Fig. 2.

My invention relates to the art of using superheated steam in an engine or other consuming device; and itvconsists in the method of generation and application and the means employed therefor, as shall be hereinafter Vmore fully set forth.

One of the objects of my invention is to secure the highest efiiciency of the superheated steam and to avoid the objections arising froni the application of the superheating element at a point more or less remote from the point of consumption, resulting in a reduction of temperature and consequent deterioration of efciency in transmission of the superheated steam due to radiation or condensation.

Afurther object is to provide means for regulating and controlling the heat, thus securing better results in proportion to the Work of the engine.

Heretofore superheated steam has generally been produced by means of passing the steam through circulation pipes or chambers placed in the path of waste gases or in separate furnaces, after which the superheated steam is conveyed to the engine; also, by mixing highly-superheated steam with saturated steam or by various modifications or combinations of these methods. 'In such constructions and methods of application it has been impossible to obviate the objections of radiation by reason of exposure necessary in transmitting the steam to the engine. The control of the degree of superheating is practically impossible, and there is always present the contingent danger of burning out the superheater.

My invention has in view the generation of superheat in the working steam at a point immediately adjacent to the point of application and consumption and the regulation of the superheating medium, thus securing the best results in practice and rendering the apparatus entirely within the control of the operator, while eliminating the danger ofburning out the heater and consequent explosion.

Referring now to the drawings, Q is a steamboiler o f any preferred construction, incorporated with the setting of which is the usual furnace-chamber 3. At any convenient position is located the auxiliary boiler 4, and in the path of the products of combustion are a series of water-tubes 5, suitablyarranged to permit proper circulation of the gases, which tubes and a portion of the drum A contain water. The upper portion of the boiler constitutes a reservoir for the superheating-steam, and the boiler should be suitably supplied with the usual safetyvalve, steam-gage, indicator, 6to.

6 is the superheater, which is located immediately upon the steam-chest of the engine or as close to it as possible, and through which the working' steaml passes to the steam-chest and in which it is superheated.

The superheating-steam from the boiler 4 is conveyed to the superheater through pipe 7 and is returned therefrom, or water of condensation is returned therefrom through pipe 9, communicating with the main interior por-- tion 10 of the superheater, into which the working-steam pipe 11 from the boiler is introduced and through which tubes 9 the working steam passes downwardly in its progress toward the engine, these tubes terminating in a common compartment 12, from which the steam passes directly to the steam-chest. The superheating-steam from pipe 7 is designed to have a circulation around the working-steam pipes and is passed through a separate compartmentlS, inclosed from the working-steam compartments by diaphragms 14 15, while each of the working-steam pipes 9 is surrounded for the greater portion of its length by pipes 16, closed at the top and in open communication with the superheating steam chamber 12, thus exposing the entire surface of the pipes 9 to the superheating-steam.

In order to throw the\working steam more intimately into contact with the surface of its conveying-pipes, I employ any suitable devices to baffle or change its direction of travel, such as a series of disks 17, suspended within the pipes upon a chain or wire. To further deflect the course of the working steam in its passage-around the outer surface of pipes 16 in its course toward the upper ends of pipes 9, I employ a number of semidiaphragms 18,ar ranged alternately partially across the area of the inclosing case of the superheating-chamber in such a manner as to compel the working steam to pass back and forth around the superheating area of these pipes in its progress upward in a serpentine course. It will thus be seen that in its passage through the superheater the working steam will be raised to a very high temperature immediately before entering the engine, thus giving the best results in use, and in order to introduce the steam to the superheater in as dry a condition as possible I employ a separator 19, in

which any water of condensation will collect and from which it may be drained by a suitable pipe. By reason of the great amount of exposure in the tubes 5, placed in the path of the gases of combustion of the furnace, the water therein can be heated and steam can be generated at a much higher temperature and pressure than that of the working steam generated in the main boiler, which it is desired to superheat.

For the purpose of controlling and regulating such heat to these superheating-steam tubes Iemploy adamper 20, adjustably mounted in the path of the gases and connected by any suitable regulating. devices, such as a rod 2l to lever 22, so that its position may be varied as desired to throw the gases either wholly or partially around and through the nest of pipes 5 or, as indicated in Fig. 3, to relieve and partially protect the pipes from their action, and it will be seen also that the damper may be set at any intermediate position, according to the amount of heat desired.

In Fig. 4 I have showny a construction in which the exhaust-steam from the high-pressure cylinder is again used in a second cylinder of a compound engine provided with a superheating-chamber, which 1s also a receiver,

Within which the steam is again superheated. The advantage of superheating working steam immediately adjacent to the point of consumption will be appreciated by all users of steam as a powergenerating medium, while the generation, transmission,and accurate control of the operation are rendered very simple and direct, and in practice my invention is capable of a wide application in the art.

Although I have described my invention somewhat minutely, it will of course be understood that I do not intend to limit myself to exact forms, minor features, or details of construction or to the use of all my improvements in every single installation further than specified or pointed out in my claims. On the other hand, I contemplate making mechanical changes in form, omitting parts not specified in the claims or using equivalents, as circumstances may suggest or render expedient.

What I claim is- 1. In apparatus for superheating steam, the combination of a furnace, a main steam-generator therein, a consuming device provided with asuperheating-chamber, and an auxiliary steam-generator provided with circulating- `conductors extending into the path of the furnace-gases in their course to the main steamgenerator, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a main steam-generator communicating with a consuming device, and-an auxiliary steam-generatorplaced in the furnace-gases of the said main generator and in communication with a superheating device adapted to impart heat to the consuming device. 3. In apparatus'for superheating steam, the combination of a furnace, a main steam-generator therein, a consuming device provided with a superheating-chamber, connections between the main steam-generator and the consuming device, an auxiliary steam-generator provided with circulating-conductors extending into the path of the furnace-gases in their course to the-main generator, and connections from the auxiliary steam-generator to the superheating-chamber of the consuming device, substantially as set forth.

4. In apparatus for superheating steam, the combination of a furnace, a main steam-generator therein, with connections to a steam- IOO IIO

consuming device, and an auxiliary steam-generator placed in the path of the furnace-gases, and in communication with a superheatingchamber of the consuming device, substantially as set forth.

5. In apparatus for superheating steam the combination of a furnace, a main steam-generator with connections to a steam-consuming device, and an auxiliary steam-generator placed in the path of the furnace-gases, adapted to provide superheating-steam, and in communication with a superheating-chamber of the consuming device, substantially as set forth.

6. A main steam-generator in communication With a consuming device, an auxiliary steam-generator provided With tubes projecting into the path of the furnace-gases of the main steam-generator, a steam-pipe leading from the auxiliary steam-generator to a superheating-chamber, and a condensation-return pipe leading from the superheating-chamber back to the auxiliary steam-generator.

7. A main steam-generator in communication with a consuming device, an auxiliary steam-generator provided with tubes projecting into the path of the furnace-gases of the main steam-generator, means for regulating the amount of gas circulating in contact with said tubes, a steam-pipe leading from the auxiliary steam generator to a superheatingchamber, anda condensation-return pipe leading from the superheating-chamber back to the auxiliary steam-generator.

8. A main steam-generator communicating through a superheating device with a consuming device, an auxiliary steam generator placed in the path of the furnace-gases of the Said main steam-generator, a pipe leading from the auxiliary generator to the superheating device and a condensation-return pipe leading therefrom back to the auxiliary generator.

9. A main steam-generator communicating through a superheating device With a consuming device,'an auxiliary steam-generator provided With tubes projecting into the path of the furnace-gases of the main steam-generator, means for regulating the amount of gas circulating in contact With said tubes, a pipe leading from the auxiliary generator to the superheating device and a condensation-return pipe leading therefrom back to the auxiliary generator.

l0. A steam-generator, an auxiliary steamgenerator in Which steam is generated at a higher pressure than that generated in the main steam-generator, a superheating-chamber in immediate communication with asteamconsuming device, with means for varying the temperature of the steam in the auxiliary generator.

l1. The combination with a furnace, a main steam-generator therein, and a consuming device connected vvith the main steam-generator and provided with a superheating-chamber; of an auxiliary steam-generator located in the path of the furnace-gases and connected With the superheating-chamberof the consuming device, whereby high-pressure superheatingsteam is supplied thereto, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT. Witnesses:

JAs. J. MCAFEE, C. M. CLARKE. g, 

